THE June 2019 Volume 63 No.WORD 6 “At the Convention… the fullness of the church is expressed in the unity of the church”. Metropolitan JOSEPH on attending the 2019 Convention EDITORIAL Volume 63 No.6 June 2019 COVER: THEWORD METROPOLITAN JOSEPH The Holy Synod Meeting of Antioch CONTENTS 3 EDITORIAL by Bishop JOHN to Address the 5 GRAND RAPIDS: YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE! Pastoral Challenges 8 THE CHALICE OF JOY by Fr. Peter Kavanaugh Facing Today’s Family 12 METROPOLITAN JOSEPH HOSTS RUSSIAN PATRIARCHAL BISHOPS AND CONSUL GENERAL OF RUSSIA 13 OUT OF YOUR HEAD, INTO THE RHYTHMS by Fr. John Oliver 20 THE SPACE BETWEEN VIRTUE AND PASSION: ST. MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR by Nicholas A. Pappas 22 ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: DEFENDER OF THE THEOTOKOS by Fr. Daniel Daly 28 FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE PROGRAM 30 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION Letters to the editor are welcome and should include the author’s full name and parish. Submissions for “Commu- nities in Action” must be approved by the local pastor. Both may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. All submissions e-mailed and provided as a Microsoft Word text or editable PDF. Please do not embed artwork into the word documents. All art work must be high resolution: at least 300dpi. atriarch JOHN X of and faith. The Synod Fathers will discuss how Antioch has dedi­ we are to address the current situation regard­ ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: U.S.A. and Canada, $40.00 cated the next Holy ing the family, and how we might meet the Foreign Countries, $50.00 Single Copies, $3.00 Synod to the Fam­ challenges at the parish and diocesan levels. The WORD (USPS626-260) is published monthly, except ily. He has called for The subjects of the meeting will be organ­ July and August, by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian concept papers to help ized under four headings: a description of the Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain Road, PO Box 5238; periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New the holy hierarchs of the current situation by region; contemporary social Jersey 07631-5238 and at additional mailing offices. Antiochian Church discuss the developments facing the family; bioethical is­ Postmaster send address changes to The WORD, 358 current challenges facing the fam­ sues; and the possibility of pastoral therapeutic Mountain Road, PO Box 5238, Englewood, NJ 07631- 5238 ily, and people generally, in their interventions. ISSN 0043-7964 www.antiochian.org. rapidly changing social and sci­ After the bishops receive reports on the state Canada Post Publication Agreement No. 40043404 entific dimensions. The bishops of the family in regions throughout the Patri­ Return Canada address to American International Mail, STN A – BOX 697, Windsor are being asked to reflect on the way in which archate, they will study the phenomena of sec­ ON N9A 6N4, Canada modern concepts relate to our traditional values ularization and globalization, and their impact 2 JanuaryJune 2019 2016 The Word 3 EDITORIAL on the faith and spiritual life of parishioners and families. The very way peo­ ple think today has changed, as the world has adopted new and different GRAND RAPIDS: ways of living. Worldwide communication has become instantaneous, and many have relationships with a wide circle. The Internet and new global pseudo­family has allowed individuals to refashion traditional understand­ YOU’LL LOVE IT HERE! ings of what it means to be human, to love, to be spiritual, to respond to ANTIOCHIAN CONVENTION 2019 The Most Reverend Metropolitan JOSEPH God, and to interact with others around them. The bishops will discuss these The Right Reverend things, and their impact on our families and personal identities. Bishop BASIL The bishops will also consider the effects of these phenomena on the self­ THE TIME HAS COME AT LAST. FROM JULY 21 TO 28, OUR ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX The Right Reverend understanding of men and women, on the family, and on the Church. We Bishop THOMAS ARCHDIOCESE WILL HOLD ITS 54TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION IN GRAND RAPIDS, will then discuss the way in which the sexualization of society has challenged The Right Reverend MICHIGAN. YOUR HOST CHURCH, ST. NICHOLAS, HAS BEEN PLANNING FOR YOUR Bishop ALEXANDER our teachings and family values, the state of education worldwide, and gender ARRIVAL THE PAST FOUR YEARS. WE ARE SO READY TO WELCOME YOU! The Right Reverend confusion. We will also talk about the challenges of mixed marriages within Bishop JOHN multi­religious and inter­religious communities. We will not shy away from The Right Reverend Bishop ANTHONY the reality of the spread of cohabitation, the increased postponement of mar­ The Right Reverend riage, and the challenges of addiction in our parishes and families. Bishop NICHOLAS We will then address the bioethical issues of our time, end­of­life issues, Founded in Arabic as and the positions of various Christian traditions. Al Kalimat in 1905 by Saint Raphael (Hawaweeny) Following this study, the Fathers will examine possible pastoral, therapeu­ Founded in English as The WORD in 1957 tic interventions, as we try to minister to our faithful, calling them to Christ’s by Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) abundant life. We will discuss possible positive uses of modern means like Editor in Chief Bishop JOHN Facebook, Twitter, and websites. We will also look at Christian marriage, the Assistant Editor Christopher Humphrey ways people find spouses today, marriage preparation and enrichment, fam­ Design Director Donna Griffin Albert ily conflicts, meeting the challenges of people with special needs, care for our Editorial Board Fr. Michel Najim elderly, and end­of­life accompaniment. Fr. Patrick O’Grady Fr. Thomas Zain The agenda of this meeting is very ambitious and exciting. We are blessed Fr. Andrew Damick Fr. Nicholas Belcher with leadership in our Church willing to seek practical ways to pastor Christ’s Fr. John Oliver flock. This has long been the brilliance and fame of Antioch. Antioch is and Fr. Chad Hatfield Kh. Erin Kimmet has always been particularly practical, pastoral and faithful. Please pray for Peter Samore our bishops, pastors, theologians, therapists, and physicians, as we take on Ann Bezzerides the challenges of our time. Your witness, love, and support will prepare our Editorial Office: The WORD bishops and faithful to hear the truth of God from God as we gather, as we 2 Lydia’s Path Westborough, MA 01581-1841 have for two thousand years, in synod with faith, humility, openness, and good will. e-mail: [email protected] Subscription Office: 358 Mountain Road PO Box 5238 Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 [email protected] HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN JOSEPH THANKS THOSE WHO SENT PRAYERS AND GOOD WISHES ON THE OCCASION OF HIS NAME’S DAY. THROUGH THE INTERSESSIONS OF ST. JOSEPH OF ARI- Our city of Grand Rapids, nestled on the Work, and Raise a Family.” We’re a mid­size MATHEA, MAY GOD GRANT WISDOM AND FOR- banks of the Grand River, in Pure Michigan, community, with all the attributes of a big city BEARANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HIS HOLY CHURCH has been a best­kept secret for years, but no and none of the negatives. We’re family friendly, IN THE SPLENDOR OF HIS EMPTY TOMB. longer. Once known as the Furniture Capitol safe, affordable, and hassle­free, congestion­free, of the World and home of President Gerald smog­free. Ask anyone. We love it here! Ford, we’re now known as the Cool City, Beer Metropolitan JOSEPH visited us recently, City USA, and the “Leading Place to Visit, Live, to put his stamp of approval on our convention 4 June 2019 The Word 5 Convention 2019 plans. He told us, “In Grand Rapids, we the best talent in our Archdiocese. are making history. Because of this con­ At the “Hafli­ Yallah…Let’s Dance,” vention, Orthodoxy will be heard.” He there will be a Moroccan theme, with went on to proclaim, “I need the peo­ henna artists, a belly dancer, Ara­ ple. The people need the hierarchs. The bic music for our dabke, and mazza. clergy and people together, that’s why Then, instead of the typical banquet, we need this Convention.” Sayidna af­ we’ll light the night with a Dinner­ firmed why it’s important we allattend Dance Gala – few speeches, exquisite AC2019. “We go to the Convention to food, and an emotional look back at please God and to bring more unity in 40 years of memories of the Antioch­ our life and in our societ y. All of us are ian Village. one group, one family, one Archdio­ We have excursions to the Ford cese.” We belong together. Presidential Museum, to an origi­ We’ve been having the time of our nal Frank Lloyd Wright house, and life preparing for AC2019. The hotel a tour of the Grand Rapids Her itage rooms are top notch (4­star, 4­dia­ Hill District. We’ll take you to mond) at hugely discounted prices. The the Frederick Meijer Gardens and Grand River runs alongside the hotels Sculpture Park, among the top­30 and convention center, and the cafés, must­see locales in the world. And pubs, boutiques, museums, urban mar­ you can’t leave Grand Rapids with­ ket are all within walking distance. out experiencing unsalted, shark­ We’re maintaining all the spiritu­ free Lake Michigan, with the longest al traditions of the Convention, like freshwater shoreline anywhere. We’re Bible study and services, Bible Bowl stealing you away to the beaches and and O ratorical Festival, but we added bringing a towel for you. If you can’t something new: “Nightly Chats with go, extend your trip to Michigan and Sayidna” and “Ask Abouna.” There is at visit one resort town after a nother, least one workshop or event in which minutes from each other, up and every person can take part.